Detachable conveyer flight



Jan. 6, 1942. c. F. GUEST 2,269,056

DETACHABLE CONVEYER FLIGHT Filed April 8, 1941 5 2 3.2 8 $20 2&20 (9 WMM - (7022 m7 E C-Quest Patented Jan. 6, 1942 "UNI-[TED STATES PA E T OFFICE A DETAGHABLE CONVEYER FLIGHT Conrad F. Guest, 'Esquimalt, "British Columbia,

- Canada Application Apr-i1 8, 194-1, Serial .No. 387,526

'7 Claims.

ful improvements in chain conveyors and it particularly relates .to improvements in the flights and their connections to the chain.

Conveyer flights with detachable links have heretofore been proposed but none such which have come to my attention are .free from certain defects. an object to provide a quickly detachable flight and link construction which will be free from the objectionable features found in the prior art. Another type of detachable flight is also known. In this type a single link is used, the link having lugs to interlock with a set of fixed lugs on the flight body and with similar lugs on a locking plate, the parts being secured together by a bolt and nut. vIn this latter type of the prior art construction the entire pull strainfalls on two small lugs of the link on the side having bolt and .nut work loose, as it often does (unless .rivetedom'in which event replacements are dif-' ficult) the locking plate becomes loose and then a larger part-0f the strain falls on the two. lugs on the side opposite the locking plate, with the result that breakage occurs.

Since there is just as much strain on the back- ,pull of the flight, the shoulder on the locking plate, which engages the front flange of the flight 'in the foregoing prior art construction, is ineffective during the back-pull and a large part of the strain then falls on the bolt. My invention therefore has for another of .its objects to provide a device which is free from the defects of the last-mentioned type above referred to.

My invention therefore hasfor Other objects will in part be-obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter.-

To the attainmentof the aforesaid objects and ends "the invention still further resides in the novel details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all of which will .be first fully described in the following detailed description and then be particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a flight and link embodying my invention. i

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, of the flight per Se.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line *44 of The central or body webs 6 lie parallel to one the two points where the :chain another and at their front "and rear ends have Opposed vertical ribs 7!, thus forming a central pocket or socket to receive the enlargement or body 15- of the flight link -15. v

The bottom web .2 has front and back-extensions .8 and within the confines of the socket it .has .a pair of :slots 22 located adjacent the ribs 1. Between these slots 22 and preferably midway of the so'cketis a bridge 2| from web 6 to web 6 (see Figs. 3 and 4).

The link l6 has an eye 23 and a slot 2-4, the ends 18 being provided with lugs 20 tofitinto the slots 22. Recesses 19 are also provided to fit over the extensions 8 (see Fig. 4). The "body [5 of the link .rests on the bridge '2 and fits the socket of the flight. The :link body 15 has aslot "H and the body webs 6,6 of the flight have slots 9 and Ill to receive a key 11,, jthereduce'd end 1.2 ofthe key ffitting slot 10 an'dthe larger portion of the key fitting the slots H and H.

The key portion 12 :has a hole 13 to receive a cotter pin M .of ample :size.

By virtue of the construction described pull strains are taken up along the lower half of the link by the lugs 2&0 and the-front and back shouldersof the recesses l9, and, along the, upper half of the link, by. the key IL. .Also, the pull strains are taken up by the link body l5 and the end ribs 1. Thus it will be seen that these parts take the strains of both a forward and albac-k pull of the chain.

The interlocking elements l 9, 2:0 *and "-8,, 2 2 also serveto prevent thefiight-links ends 48 from,

pulling apart.

The key .11 not only helps take the strain of the pull, but it also holds the link down inpl'ace.

From the foregoing it willibe seen that a snug interlocking of flight and flight link .isobtained so that motion between link and flight "cannot take place anywhere and therefore-the only places where wear occurs '.is at theendstof the link where the link couples with the chain (not shown). I

By using the full .link it cuts down on any increasing of the pitch Of the chain, aside from and :flight .c'onnect. i

Repairs can easily :and simply. be made as the ."chain is held firmly by the full flight link, thus leaving, the flight free to be removed :by simply taking out the cotter pin 14 and withdrawing the key H. e

From the foregoing description, taken wit'li'the accompanying drawing, it is thought that the construction, operation and advantages of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. In chain conveyers, a flight hav ing'a bottom wall, a front wall and a bodyipar't upstanding from the "bottom walL sa'id body part having a socket, a flightlink haying anenlarged -body part to fit in said socket and having portions extending fore and aft of the flight for connection to the links of a conveyer, said bottom wall within the confines of the socket, having lug receiving slots and said link having lugs to fit into said slots, said body parts having key-receiving slots, a key in said key-receiving slots, and removable means engaging said key for holding it in place.

2. In chain conveyers, a flight having a bottom wall, a front wall and a body part upstanding from the bottom wall, said body part having a socket, a flight link having an enlarged body part to fit in said socket and having portions extending fore and aft of the flight for connection to the links of a conveyer, said bottom wall within the confines of the socket, having lug receiving slots and said link having lugs to fit into said slots, said body parts having key-receiving slots, a key in said key-receiving slots, and removable means engaging said key for holding it in place, said flight link having an eye and having an opening in its lower portion leading to said eye and said flight having a bridge member lying in said flight link opening and on which the body of said flight link rests.

3. In chain conveyers, a flight having a bottom wall, a front wall, and a pair of vertical webs spaced apart extending parallel in a forwardbackward direction, vertical ribs on the front and back edges of said vertical webs, those ribs of one web being directed toward the opposite web, thereby defining with said vertical webs and said bottom wall a flight link receiving socket, a bridge member located between said vertical webs and upstanding from said bottom wall, said bottom wall, within the confines of said socket, having slots one at each side of said bridge member, said bottom wall having, at the socket location, fore and aft extensions, and a flight link having on its upper part a body enlargement shaped to fit said socket andbe held against fore and aft movement in the socket by engagement of said vertical ribs, the bottom part of said link being slotted to provide ends, said ends having lugs and recesses respectively to fit into said slots and fit over said fore and aft extensions, said flight body enlargement resting on said bridge, said body enlargement and said vertical ribs having key-receiving slots, and a key held in said slots.

4. In chain conveyers, a flight having a bottom wall, a front wall, and a pair of vertical webs spaced apart extending parallel in a forwardbackward direction, vertical ribs on the front and back edges of said vertical webs, those ribs of one web being directed toward the opposite web, thereby defining with said vertical webs and said bottom wall a flight link receiving socket, a bridge member located between said vertical webs and upstanding from said bottom wall, said bottom wall, within the confines of said socket, having slots one at each side of said bridge member, and a flight link having on its upper part a body enlargement shaped to fit said socket and be held against fore and aft movement in the socket by engagement of said vertical ribs, the bottom part of said link being slotted to provide ends, said ends having lugs to fit into said flight slots, said flight body enlargement resting on said bridge, said body enlargement and said vertical ribs having key-receiving slots, and a key held in said slots.

5. In chain conveyers, a flight having a bottom wall, a front wall, and a pair of vertical webs spaced apart extending parallel in a forwardbackward direction, vertical ribs on the front and back edges of said vertical webs, those ribs of one web being directed toward the opposite web, thereby defining with said vertical webs and said bottom wall a flight link receiving socket, a bridge member located between said vertical webs and upstanding from said bottom wall, said bottom wall, within the confines of said socket, having slots one at each side of said bridge member, said bottom wall having, at the socket location, fore and aft extensions, and a flight link having on its upper part a body enlargement shaped to fit said socket and be held against fore and aft movement in the socket by engagement of said vertical ribs, the bottom part of said link being slotted to provide ends, said ends having lugs and recesses respectively to fit into said slots and fit over said fore and aft extensions, said flight body enlargement resting on said bridge, said body enlargement and said vertical ribs having key-receiving slots, and a key held in said slots, said key comprising a body having a reduced end with a hole to receive a cotter pin, the key-receiving slots in said body portion and one of said vertical walls being constructed to receive the larger part of said body and the key-receiving slot in the other vertical wall being constructed to receive said reduced end, and a cotter pin in said hole to retain the key in place.

6. In chain conveyers, a flight having a bottom wall, a front wall, and a pair of vertical webs spaced apart extending parallel in a forwardbackward direction, vertical ribs on the front and back edges of said vertical webs, those ribs of one web being directed toward the opposite web, thereby defining with said vertical webs and said bottom wall a flight link receiving socket, a bridge member located between said vertical webs and upstanding from said bottom wall, said bottom wall, within the confines of said socket, having slots one at each side of said bridge member, and a flight link having on its upper part a body enlargement shaped to flt said socket and be held against fore and aft movement in the socket by engagement of said vertical ribs, the bottom part of said link being slotted to provide ends, said ends having lugs to fit into said flight slots, said flight body enlargement resting on said bridge, said body enlargement and said vertical ribs having key-receiving slots, and a key held in said slots, said key comprising a body having a reduced end with a hole to receive a cotter pin, the key-receiving slots in said body portion and one of said vertical walls being constructed to receive the larger part of said body and the keyreceiving slot in the other vertical Wall being constructed to receive said reduced end, and a cotter pin in said hole to retain the key in place.

'7. In chain conveyers, a flight having a bottom wall, a front wall and a body part upstanding from the bottom wall, said body part having a socket, a flight link having an enlarged body part to fit in said socket and having portions extending fore and aft of the flight for connection to the links of a conveyer, said bottom wall, within the confines of the socket, having lug receiving slots and said link having lugs to fit into said slots, said body parts having key-receiving slots, a key in said key-receiving slots, and removable means engaging said key for holding it in place, the top surface of said body part lying in a plane at least as high above the bottom of the flight as that of the link.

C. F. GUEST. 

